


Pitcher Solidarity

by bleumysti



Category: Pitch (TV 2016)
Genre: Gen, Male-Female Friendship
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-17
Updated: 2016-11-17
Packaged: 2018-08-31 12:23:27
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,182
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8578402
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bleumysti/pseuds/bleumysti
Summary: Post San Francisco. Tommy  finds out about the wild night out and the photo leak. He's not happy that he couldn't join in the fun.





	

“What’s Chicago like?” a reporter stuck a recorder in his face as he tightened the strap to his work bag and shuffled towards the exit.

“Windy,” he replied with a cocksure grin. 

“Are you getting along well with the team? What’s your reception been like?” Another reporter asked from the back of the small group of press members. 

“They were a little starstruck at first, but who can blame them. Right, Sanchez?” Tommy nodded at the basemen on the opposite of the room.

“Only in your dreams, Miller,” Sanchez quipped back, to the delight of the reporters amused by the friendly banter.

“Speaking of teammates, you’re fresh off of working with Ginny Baker, who some said took your spot..”

The muscle in Tommy’s jaw tightened. Baker eventually grew on him, but it didn’t change the fact that he was sick of being asked about her. He was on the other side of the country on an entirely new team and still having to field questions about Ginny.

“Ginny’s a great player. Hell, I know that for a fact. Worked with the girl myself and even taught her a few things.” He winked, causing a few more chuckles. 

“Really, Baker is a team player, great asset, one of the best people I know. Just don’t tell her I said that.”

“Even after she nearly lost a Nike endorsement and-” a voice from the middle of the cluster of people said disapprovingly. 

He narrowed his eyes at the reporter, trying his best to reign in his annoyance. “I’m not here to talk about Bak-“

“And of course there are the scandalous nude photos..” 

Before he could react, someone was shoving a screenshot of a photo of Ginny, tasteful, but still revealing nearly everything the good lord gave her, and the Lord blessed her with a lot. Her dark curls fell over her shoulder and she had a shy smile. He averted his eyes, glare laser focused on the smug bastard still fixing his lips to say more.

“First female in the league, role model for young girls everywhere and this is how she carries herself? Do you still think she’s one of the best people you know?”

He saw red. His balled fist tightened around the strap of his gym bag so much his knuckles turned white. He took a step forward, tried to will himself not to lose his temper. He was on a new team with new people and he couldn’t afford to screw this up. His wife always got on his case about being impulsive and a hot head. He rubbed his nose, breathed, and looked the reporter in the eye.

“Did I stutter,” he growled out through clenched teeth. He forced himself to smile, nodded at the others and walked through the doors, quietly seething.

~o~

He popped the lid off another beer and downed half of it before he even realized Ginny’s call had gone through. She had her head canted to the side, watching him, thoroughly amused, and not nearly as upset as he expected her to be, considering the fact that she was plastered all over every news station again.

“Miller,” she nodded in a greeting. A familiar smirk on her face when she saw a bottle in his hand. “A little late out there for you isn’t it?”

“Just trying to catch up with all the partying you’ve been doing, grasshopper. I know I taught you well, but you didn’t need to wait until I left to become a wild child.”

She snorted. “I didn’t want to steal your shine off the field since I was already doing that on it.” She quipped back. She paused long and hard, her eyes far away. “Guess I had to make up for everything I missed out on eh?”

He took another swig of his beer as he studied her. She didn’t seem too upset but he noted the wistfulness in her voice.

“You good , Baker?” He asked after a bit. He could tell the question caught her off guard, but she did a decent job of hiding it.

“I’m fine.” Those dimples of hers made the barest of appearances.

“Oh, I saw just how fine you are,” he shot back with a flirty grin. “I asked if you were good.”

This time she didn’t hide the complete shock on her face at the flirty banter. Her mouth dropped open before she threw her head back and laughed. He was pleased with himself for getting such a reaction out of her.

“Saw those did you?” She sighed, exasperated.

“Kinda hard not to,” he all but growled. “But it wasn’t my choice. I hope you know that, Baker. I’m a jackass but there are lines that I don’t cross.” He could feel the pulsing in his forehead as he got worked up again. He was practically wringing the neck of the beer bottle with both hands.

“Yeah, I know,” she said after a while. Her voice was timid, and that’s the closest she sounded to feeling small over the whole debacle. He hated it. “I just want to play baseball and be one of the guys.”

“You’re kicking ass at baseball, now that your completion is out of the way,” He added smugly. She chuckled. “But you’ll never be one of the guys, Baker. But you are a Padre. And Padres look out for our own. It may not seem like it, but the boys have your back.”

“Ha! Is that some caveman nobody messes with my sister but me bull?” she laughed so hard she snorted and all he could do was shake his head.

“Something like that, 43.” He rolled his eyes. “Don’t let it get to your head though,” he drawled. 

“Hey,” her tone turned serious as she ducked her head down before meeting his gaze. “I saw what you said…Thanks.”

A flicker of warmth filled him at the tone of her voice. “Don’t be flattered, I keep shitty company, so the fact that you’re higher up on the list doesn’t say much.”

“You’re such an asshole, Miller!” She cackled. The heaviness of the serious moment temporarily lifted. 

“Tell me something I don’t know, grasshopper.” He peered at her out of the corner of his eye as he finished off his drink. “Can’t lie, Baker, if I happen across Davis, I’m giving him a piece of my mind.” 

“Miller,” she growled in warning. There wasn’t enough heat behind the admonishment. He could tell she was torn between being annoyed because she could take care of herself, amused because he really was a hot head, and flattered because there was a time when he gave her reason to believe that they wouldn’t be friends. Foolish of him, because he’s not sure when it happened, or how, but Ginny somehow became one of his best friends.

“That pretty blond agent of yours find a way to get your ass out of this mess, or will I have to fly back there so the boys and I can take care of it our own way? Because trust and believe, I will,” he drawled. 

She shook her head. “Yeah…we got something in the works.”

“You may not believe it, because you only spend time with ebony and bearded ivory, but the Padres are a family, and they look out for each other no matter what. We,” he paused, remembering he wasn’t part of the team anymore. “They may have got saddled with your ass but they protect their own.”

“Padres protect our own,” she whispered under her breath, oblivious to the look he was giving her. 

“What’s that face for, Baker?” He watched as her entire face lit up, the smile that stretched across her face was so blinding and infectious he caught himself grinning like an idiot too. “Baker?” He prompted.

“ You’ll see, she said coyly. “Gotta go, Tough Nuts!” 

She was gone before he could say anything else. He shook his head as she disappeared. The smile on his face fading as he took in the lonely hotel room. His wife and son still hadn’t moved out yet. He sighed.

~o~

“What the fuck, Baker?!” He damn near shouted as soon as her face appeared onscreen. 

He could tell she was looking at news coverage, the same as him. The image of his former teammates oiled up and posing in the buff with Baker front of center still had him speechless. “Can’t go a goddammit day without breaking the Internet!”

“I know, cool right?” She squealed, delighted and still surprised at the support she had. “I can’t believe they came through for me” she muttered quietly, her eyes still focused on her television screen. 

Not that he could blame her. His had been glued to his too. Mainly her. He was a happily married man but he could appreciate Bakers beauty. Hell, even his wife had been drooling when she flew there for a visit.

‘I can’t believe that surprises you,” he said almost defensively. “of course they’d come through you.”

She flashed him that dimpled smile and his breath caught. Ginnfuckingsanity. He fought it like hell, but Ginny Baker had a way of getting under everyone’s skin. She made people fall in love with her without even trying. That’s probably what he hated the most. She was completely oblivious to the effect she had on everyone she encountered. It was hard to not respect and be enamored by her.

“You just had to plan all of this once I was gone huh?” He teased. “Couldn’t even extend an invitation or give me a heads up eh? It’s okay if you were afraid to see me naked. It’s hard to resist all of this..” 

She laughed so hard she snorted at him, and he pouted because he was a teeny bit offended.

She must have noticed because she tried to keep a straight face before reassuring him, “Did it on the fly, Miller. I know you would have had my back if you were here.”

“Pitchers stick together,” they said together before chuckling.

“You’ll probably still get slammed tomorrow during press,” she teased playfully. “Maybe if you actually play like a pro for a change, they’d have something else to talk to you about other than me.”

“Who’s the asshole now Baker?” He pretended to be offended, but couldn’t sell it. 

“I learned from the best, sensei,” she quipped. “I’ll be watching you tomorrow, so prove me wrong. “I want you in top form when we play against you. I only like beating the best, otherwise it hardly seems fair.”

A slow smile tugged at his lips as he rehashed the last bit of their conversation.

“Gotta go Baker!” he said abruptly.

“Wait, Miller, what was that look?” He heard her voice as he slowly closed his laptop. “Tommy!” One final shout before silence enveloped the room.

~o~

He chewed his gum furiously reminding himself of Mike Lawson.

“Almost ready “ someone said as they scurried away.

He usually loved the press. He liked the attention to be honest. Plus he was a wise ass so he had a field day shocking them with the next smart ass comment. But admittedly he felt a bit nervous this time around.

They played alright. He played alright. And he was starting to gain the respect of some of the guys and earn his keep. They still lost though. Not any fault of his. 

Before he gave it a second thought, he made sure everyone was either gone or too preoccupied hustling and bustling around to pay him much attention. That was fairly easy. Not like he ever had all eyes on him anyway like someone like Baker or even that Duarte kid giving Lawson a run for his money back hom—in San Diego.

He unzipped his sweatsuit, let it fall to his feet and strategically placed his mitt in front of him. He stepped out the curtains just as he heard someone behind him shouting his way.

He chewed his gun ferociously, the only sign that he was a bit nervous. Shouts, gasps, and murmurs all blended together. The flash of lights flickered incessantly as he stood for a moment to take it all in and give everyone a good enough show.

He sat down at the table. The shock of it all amusing him to no end. With his mitt resting over the family jewels, he placed his phone down and clasped both hands on the table in front of him. Grinned at everyone.

“Any questions?”

The buzzing of his cellphone, resting on the table, was almost drowned out by all the shouting and clicks of the bulbs. A quick glance at the screen told him it was Baker, "OMFG!!!!!" followed by a series of happy, surprised, and amused emoticons scrawled across the screen. And of course the eggplant. Cheeky one that Baker. 

He grinned. If she could start a Beanball war for him, he could stand nude, in solidarity for her. Hell, she’s all they were going to inquire about anyway.

“I said, are there any questions?”

**Author's Note:**

> First time posting on archives, and first time posting for Pitch. Second, if you include once on Tumblr. *waves* I'm really rusty.
> 
> *I'm going to edit the name, since I just noticed a similarly named Pitch fic on Tumblr.


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